Kehau Regidor led Kaua’i with six kills. LIHU’E – It took Waimea about 10 minutes to show the Kaua’i Interscholastic Federation why it’s ranked No. 7 in the latest state volleyball poll. It took Kaua’i a bit longer to show
Kehau Regidor led Kaua’i with six kills.
LIHU’E – It took Waimea about 10 minutes to show the Kaua’i Interscholastic Federation why it’s ranked No. 7 in the latest state volleyball poll.
It took Kaua’i a bit longer to show it wasn’t intimidated.
The Red Raiders endured a blistering 15-1 defeat in the first game of Wednesday’s KIF-opening match. Then Kaua’i found its groove, cruising to a 15-6 win in game two before surviving a 13-11 (time) heartstopper in the third game.
“We played with a lot of heart,” first-year coach Lorna Tresler-Basquez said. “I knew this team would not give up.”
Though the chance was there.
Waimea flexed its muscle from the opening whistle. Seniors James Marques (six kills) and Joshua Vinzant (6) – along with junior Desmond Rodrigues (5) – pounded the Red Raiders into submission.
Despite its inexperience, Kaua’i battled back. The Red Raiders feature just one player who received significant playing time last year. That senior, Lionel Tomacder (11 kills), paced his team’s comeback.
Kaua’i also got solid contributions from Chasen Komoto, Austin Tani and Eric Fujikawa.
A Jerrick Fabro kill in the final game put Waimea ahead 11-9 with one minute remaining. Nerves set in, and the teams traded sideouts. Kaua’i pulled to within 10-9 on a Menehune error, then tied the score when Darwin Tutop put a kill into the net.
The Red Raiders pulled ahead 12-11 before time ran out. A Waimea hitting error sealed Kaua’i’s win.
Varsity girls
Kaua’i head coach Richard Roberts admitted that things feel “different” where his volleyball team is concerned. No longer are the Red Raiders in pursuit of champion Waimea. Now, they are hunted.
Kaua’i embraced its new role Wednesday night, cruising by the Menehunes 15-4, 15-5.
“It took a long time to break through the wall,” Roberts said. “Now we’re working even harder.”
Kaua’i won the KIF title last year, the first time in 26 years that a team other than Waimea had been crowned.
“They will be hard to beat,” Waimea coach Dr. Paul Arrington said. “They’ll be one of the top teams in the state. We’ll have to play our best to beat them.”
That didn’t happen Wednesday.
Arrington admitted his team had trouble serving, blocking, passing and playing defense.
“It was pretty rough all around,” the coach said.
Meanwhile, Kaua’i looked to be in mid-season form. Other than inconsistency at the service line, one would be hard-pressed to find fault with the Red Raiders’ performance. Kehau Regidor led Kaua’i with six kills.
In junior varsity action, the Waimea boys won 15-3, 15-13. The Kaua’i girls won 15-9, 4-15, 15-4.
